40 Yards Scouting

2018 NFL Draft: BJ HILL

While all the 2018 NFL Draft attention is deservedly focused upon the outstanding edge presence of defensive line teammate BradleyChubb, it is the unselfish play of senior BJ Hill that often gets overlooked.

Left highly impressed by Hill a year ago at the heart of an outstanding, suffocating defence last season. Possesses eye catching strength at the point of attack in the middle of the Wolfpack defence. A consistent presence each week at the core of defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable’s outstanding defence. A very solid technician for the position who gains consistent push to affect pocket and influencing, forcing running backs to look to hit the edge this avoiding the inside altogether. He continually catches the eye on a play by play basis that the NFL will love.

Hill’s excellent play won’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet, he does the dirty work in tying up blockers to establish a foundation that allows the likes of the hugely talented Bradley Chubb to be the dominant force off the edge he is.

A real physical force who has to be blocked by double teams to blunt his outstanding power and kept in check, just. Even when assigned a double team, he is constantly active and keeps their hands full. While not a dynamic pass rusher himself, his activity inside consistently forces the quarterback to hit the outside as he did when matched up against the outstanding and athletically gifted Lamar Jackson last season.

Plays with very impressive vision that caught my eye many times when watching him, identifying the right moment to disengage, something he does well and flow to the ball. For a lineman his size he shows very good athleticism to break off from his assignment, pursue ball carriers and be in position to make a play, reinforcing the relentless, energetic engine he possesses.

Underrated this offseason. When single blocked he is so often too hot to handle and will affect the offense, demonstrating an effective spin move to get to the passer and flush him from the pocket. Hill demonstrates his intelligence even when stonewalled, remaining active to throw up his hands in order to deflect the pass. He plays the role with an eye catching intelligence, instincts and awareness to maintain focus on the football that allows him to be in the right spot at the right time.

He certainly achieves great push especially when single teamed and even when double teamed forces offensive linemen back into the quarterback’s lap and or stonewalled the interior offensive line entirely that ensures the play has to bump outside.

In what was his greatest test of the campaign, Hill dominated the Florida State offensive linemen tying up numerous blockers that provided the foundation for which Bradley Chubb took full advantage.

About Me

A former high school wide receiver in the early 1990s, now turned college athletics scout. 40 Yards Scouting (UK) was founded 2012 as a not for profit service, going on to publish four scouting guides to the NFL Draft of which all proceeds are donated to charity. Our goal also is to make college football easier to access for gridiron fans internationally & promote this wonderful amateur sport. Since 2015, we have published our free weekly 'Inside College Football' Magazine for our subscribers.